Book One: The Oracle Of Night

X - Confessions

Prompto gently took Sera's hand in his hand, looking into her crystalline blue eyes with his cobalt colored ones. His actions took the sable-haired princess by surprise, her gaze averting to the side as she tried to hide the rose tint that dusted her cheeks.

"I have something I want to tell you," he said, gently turning her chin to look at him so that he could see her reaction and she could see the sincerity in his eyes. "I love you, Sera. And if you'll accept it, I want to be in a relationship with you." Sera's eyes widened at his confession, her cheeks turning bright red. Before she knew it, her expression turned soft, her heart racing a bit.

"I love you too, Prompto. I want to be in a relationship with you as well," Sera said as she smiled happily. Prompto carefully leaned forward, his hand cupping her cheek. Sera caught movement out of the corner of her eye. "Seems we have an audience." She turned her head towards the plexiglass doors, seeing Noctis, Gladio and Ignis gazing at the couple from inside the apartment. Her gaze narrowed, gesturing them to mind their own business before turning back to Prompto. "Now, where were we? Ah, yes." She leaned in, gently kissing him.

The blonde's cheeks flushed as she kissed him softly, his hand gently on her cheek. When they broke the kiss, Sera had a playful smirk on her face.

"W-what's that look for?" he asked, her freckled face rosy. The young princess giggled at his stuttering, finding it adorable.

"Oh, it's nothing." She said before she turned to look over at her brother and their friends, seeing them look at the new couple before turning back quickly, acting as if they hadn't been watching. "When will that brother of mine ever listen?" She giggled once more before holding the blonde's hand in hers, gesturing to the door. "We ought to give them good news, although they may already know." Prompto nodded and smiled happily as he headed back into the apartment with Sera holding his arm.

"So?" Gladio asked, a smirk on his face.

"We already know that you know about our kiss. As for what this means, Prompto and I have decided to be in a relationship," Sera explained, her fingers intertwined with Prompto's. "I hope you're alright with that, Noctis. I don't want to ruin your friendship with him, if anything happens in our relationship."

"As long as you two are happy, I'm happy too," Noctis said with a smile, happy for his best friend and his sister. "And knowing the both of you, nothing will happen to your relationship." Sera couldn't help but smile more as she had her brother's acceptance. She looked at Prompto with a smile as she practically hugged his arm, resting her head on his shoulder. On the end table, the envelope from the academy sat, unopened. At this moment, Sera just wanted to spend time with her friends before it was too late.

~~~~~~

When the party ended, Sera made the effort to clean up the living room and kitchen, pulling her hair back so she wouldn't get it in her face. A smile continued to lay on her face, having had the best time. Noctis had already gone to bed, Gladio went home to take care of Iris, and Ignis stayed to help clean.

"Please, allow me to help you clean up," Ignis said as he tried to help out.

"I understand you're still our caretaker but I've grown up cleaning up after myself and my friends in Tenebrae," Sera explained as she turned to him. "I ask that you go home, Ignis. I've got this under control. No need to worry." Ignis bowed his head and left, fixing his spectacles as he left the apartment. Sera finished cleaning up, soon seeing the envelope from the school sitting on the table. Walking over, she sat on the couch and grabbed the envelope, staring at it. Prompto came into the living room, now in sleepwear, seeing the young princess stare at it.

"I thought you'd be asleep by now," Prompto said, sitting next to her. "What's got you up so late?"

"This. The envelope that was sent home with Noctis," Sera said, giving the envelope a slight wave. "I'm nervous to open it.."

"Then, how about I open it and tell you what it says, okay?" Sera gave a nod and handed it to him, turning to face him. Prompto opened the envelope and read it along. "'To Serafina Lucis Caelum, we are pleased to inform you that you received a perfect score on the entrance exam, but we must decline your enrollment.' Sera, I'm so sorry." Sera lowered her head with a heavy sigh, looking at the floor.

"Serves me right for telling them that I'd be leaving once more in a couple years. I should've just kept quiet."

"Maybe this is for the better. I mean you're probably one of the most intelligent people I know. No, you are the most intelligent person I know. Look on the bright side, you did better than everyone in that school by getting a perfect score." Sera looked over at Prompto with eyes sparkling a bit, as if she was somewhat doubting what Prompto said.

"Even still, I don't like being alone. What am I going to do while you and Noctis are at school?"

"Not sure, but I bet Gladio or Ignis would know." Sera rose to her feet, freezing before looking at him with a smile.

"I have an idea of how I can occupy my time. My father put in place a guard of sorts, similar to the Crownsguard but more elite. If I'm not mistaken it was called the Kingsglaive. I wouldn't need the extensive training to get in, just show off how I fight."

"Not a good idea," Noctis said as he emerged from the dark hallway, half asleep.

"Didn't mean to wake you, Noctis. But what do you mean by that?"

"Dad put that in place to protect him as well as us. Apparently, someone known as the Adagium attacked him shortly before we were born. He wouldn't let you join the Glaive even if you begged him. Plus, there is more than one subsection of the Glaive, soldiers that fight on the front lines and mages that are for support."

"Father has never been able to say no to his little girl. As for the Glaive, I already know. I intend to be the one on the front lines. As far as I know, the Empire won't touch me, whether I'm fighting against it or for it. They find me too valuable to harm."

"I don't trust it, Sera. Oracle or not, they'll see you as the princess and will try to kill you so that Dad is sure to be pushed over the edge." Sera's gaze narrowed as she looked at her brother.

"I'm going to the Citadel tomorrow morning and I'm joining that Glaive." At this time, Prompto had escaped to his room, leaving the siblings to argue.

"What made you so focused on joining the Glaive?"

"They denied my enrollment. I got a perfect score on the exam but they denied it because I'll be leaving in two years." Noctis snapped out of his half asleep state, his expression turned to anger.

"What?!" Sera could only nod, unable to say a word. Angered, Noctis went back to his room, shutting the door behind him. Not knowing where she could sleep, Sera sat on the couch, gazing up at the ceiling as her head rested on the back of the couch.

"Sera, come to bed," Prompto's voice said from the shadows before she got up and headed in the direction of the light, her magic changing her clothing. Prompto pulled her close to him as he laid back on his bed, doing his best to comfort the ravenette. "You can sleep here tonight."